1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. 347
2 good feeling may be sincere, but the popular
3 dislike of the Sikhs to the British will manifest
4 itself on every fitting occasion; and there is the
5 greatest necessity for being at all times prepared to
6 avoid giving them such opportunities.
7 It is not at all unlikely that, should any hostile
8 rising take place, this Doab will be selected; and
9 the plan of the Sikhs will be to cut off all communi-
10 cation between the garrison at Lahore and those
11 troops in the Doab, as well as between the latter
12 and the British on the left side of the Sutlej.
13 When the rivers of the Punjab are swollen by pifficulty of
14 communica-
15 the periodical rains, the troops at Lahore and in tion between
16 the Doab will be perfectly insulated. At present, ne nae
17 when a free passage is easily accomplished across Inyrtance.
18 the Sutle] and the Beas, such a statement may
19 appear incomprehensible, but the aspect of the
20 country is completely changed in the rains, and
21 the land in the vicinity of the Beas, stretching from
22 the latter to Kapoorthullah, is a complete swamp,
23 which would render the march of troops a matter
24 of the greatest difficulty, and the transport of guns
25 an impossibility. At such a period, therefore, the
26 garrison of Lahore and the troops in the Bist,
27 must be prepared to act independently of each
28 other, and it would be well to concentrate the
29 latter, and carefully provide for the safety of
30 detached regiments. The obstacle to crossing the
31 rivers of the Punjab in the rains has, no doubt,
32 heretofore operated in preventing the Sikhs from